"God is the God who follows. . .

I wonder. . .have you sensed Him following you?

We often miss Him. . .But He comes. . .

Through the kindness of a stranger.  The majesty of a sunset.  The mystery of romance.

Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse.  Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed.  Have you sensed His Presence?"~Max Lucado

 My prayer for myself and for you, my friends and family, is that we will sense His Presence each day of this coming new year.  I wish for you peace and joy, love and contentment!!

My celebrations for this holiday season are almost over.  I have one more celebration to make and that is with my son and his family in New Mexico.  I told my grandchildren there that I have the back end of my SUV loaded with their presents, and I will be on my way there just after the first of the year.  I am excited to see them!  I celebrated with my other son and his family the weekend before Christmas.  We had great fun!  God bless you all!

This Christmas I will. . .

hold my loved ones close to my heart. . .

be thankful for abundant blessings especially life itself. . .

enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in a pretty tea cup. . .

enjoy the beauty of the season. . .

My prayer for you, dear friends, is a very merry Christmas with those you love and hold dear and the happiest of New Years!!

"Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."~Winnie the Pooh

God is the friend. . .

of the wounded heart. . .

Our hearts have been broken this past week. . .I pray for His strength, His comfort, His guidance and only the hope that He can give.

A Young Girl's Christmas Surprise...

I was in the fifth grade in Mr. Wheeler's class. It was the last week of school before Christmas vacation, and I was ill. So ill, in fact, that I was unable to attend school that week. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed. I could envision my class making Christmas ornaments, singing carols and getting ready for our class Christmas party the last day of school before Christmas. My mother had taken my present up to the school so that the student whose name I had drawn would have a present under the tree. Late that afternoon of the party day, there was a knock on our front door. To my great surprise, Mr. Wheeler, my teacher was standing on my front porch. I think my mother was as surprised as I was, but she graciously invited him in. He said he had come by to check and see how I was feeling and to bring me my Christmas present from the student who had drawn my name. I don't remember who that student was, but they sure knew me well. My present was an American Revolution sticker book. The kind of book where you would read different stories about the American Revolution and then find the stamp in the back of the book that went with that story and then stick the picture with the appropriate story. I remember there were stories about Cornwallis surrendering to General George Washington, Betsy Ross sewing an American flag, Paul Revere and his midnight ride, Patrick Henry saying, "Give me liberty or give me death", and The Boston Tea Party. Oh, how I loved that book because I was a lover of American History. Yes, I know, not many fifth grade girls would be so excited about such a present, but it was perfect for me. An even greater present was that my teacher, Mr. Wheeler, would take the time to bring me my present and check on me. May your Christmas be full of many surprises and sweet remembrances, dear friends!! God bless each of you!!

If I can utter but a few words in prayer. . .

may they be "thank you".

I am so thankful today for God and His Great Faithfulness to me. . . I am thankful for my children and grandchildren. . .

My sweet ones. . .Aaron, Corina, Ally, Maggie, Henna and Olivia.

My sweet ones. . .Jeremy, Lindy, Jake, Grace and Luke. Without my family there would be no "spring in my step" or "sunshine in my day"!  I am also thankful for my little apartment home, my place of peace, my place of refuge.

I am thankful for a warm bed at night, a place to lay my head, a hot cup of coffee each morning and so many, many more things that I often forget to say thank you for. . .

Thank you dear Lord, for the sweet children I work with each week at school. . .for their sweet lives and sweet spirits. . .I receive so much more from them than they do from me.  Thank you for them. . .

For the beauty of the earth.  For the little birds who come to eat at the feeder outside my window. For my sister and niece.  For you my friends who I have met here at Bunny Cottage.  For my long time friend, Jean.  We have weathered many storms and rejoiced together through many of life's moments. Well, as you can see, the list can go on and on. . .So I will just close with a grateful heart and say once again, "Thank you!"  May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!!

Hopeless romantic. . .

those two words describe me very well. . .I have always been drawn toward romance, love, devotion.

My parents were married for sixty years.  My daddy went to heaven first.  Six months later my momma followed.

I will always believe she just couldn't bear to be on this earth one more moment without her sweetheart.

And so today I dedicate this post to you couples. . .You who have weathered life's storms...

You who have danced together on those cloudy days as well as on those days filled with sunshine.

You who have held hands during those lean years as well a those years of prosperity. . .My hat is off to you!  I applaud you!

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."~Winnie the Pooh

Halloween. . .

is just around the corner. . .so many happy memories for me. . .I loved scary stories, did you?  I can remember going to visit my cousins in Texas. . .

We would go into my grandma's kitchen and turn off all the lights. . .we would light the burners on her gas stove and gather around it to tell our spooky tales. . .we  would try to scare each other to death!!!  How fun!!!

One Halloween, my momma made me a "Daisy Mae" costume.  Kids today wouldn't know who she was.  This was definitely one of my favorite costumes.  Did you have a favorite?

Of course, the best part of "trick or treat" was that gooey candy!!  My favorites were Sugar Babies and Hershey bars.  What treat did you look forward to receiving? 

Looking back, those were such innocent, fun times.  I will always treasure those memories, won't you?  We are having cool, autumn-like weather here in Central Texas today!!  Yipeeeee!!  I am loving this weather.  I have my pumpkin spice candle lit, and it smells heavenly.  Dear friends, please enjoy your day and "Happy Halloween" from me to you!!!

Today. . .

will never come again.

Be a blessing. . .Be a friend.

Encourage someone.

Take time to care.  Let your words heal and not wound.

Wishing you a blessed day, sweet and kind friends, full of His love and grace.

 

 

 

A clothesline was a news forecast. . .

to neighbors passing by.  There were no secrets you could keep when clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link. . .For neighbors always knew. . .If company had stopped on by to spend a night or two.  For then you'd see the "fancy sheets" and towels upon the lines;  You'd see the "company tablecloths" with intricate designs.

The line announced a baby's birth from folks who lived inside.  As brand new infant clothes were hung so carefully with pride!

The ages of the children could so readily be known.  By watching how the sizes changed, you'd know how much they'd grown!

It also said, "Gone on vacation now" when lines hung limp and bare.  It told, "We're back" when full lines sagged with not an inch to spare.

But clotheslines now are of the past for dryers make work much less.  Now what goes on inside a home is anybody's guess.

I really miss that way of life.  It was a friendly sign when neighbors knew each other best by what hung on the line!!~author unknown

My momma always hung her "wash" on the line.  I remember how good those sheets smelled when she brought them in after being sun dried.  I can almost smell them now!!  Yes, those were wonderful days that I will always cherish.  Hope you are having happy memories today, sweet friends.

There is. . .

always. . .

always. . .

always. . .

something to be thankful for. . .With a thankful heart, I am wishing you a very happy day, dear friends.  Through all of life's ups and downs there is always something for which we can be truly grateful!  I am especially thankful for each of you today!

What a blessing and a privilege. . .

to love and be loved by my precious children and grandchildren. . .

there is nothing sweeter in life than to have small arms around my neck and a sweet voice saying to me, "I love you, Gee!"

my cup runs over when my fourteen year old grandson calls me just because he wants to tell me what is going on in his life. . .

to be able to read them a bedtime story is perfect. . .

and to buy them that birthday present they have been longing for makes me smile. . .

"You ask how much I love you

I'll tell you true
Until the twelfth of never

I'll still be loving you!"~lyrics to "The Twelfth of Never"

Sending you, dear friends, all my love and wishing much happiness for you and your loved ones.